Lost In Delirium
by IceQueenRex
Summary: Kidnapped by Azula and being used as bait, Toph begins to wonder if there's any good she can do as a prisoner. She doesn't trust anyone. But Zuko makes it difficult for her to keep her mind closed
1. Comfortable Prisoner

Title: Lost In Delirium

Chapter 1: Comfortable Prisoner

Azula smiled sadistically at the broken girl before her. Zuko, to her left froze when he saw who the soldiers had captured. Both Mai and Ty Lee had the same expressions. Fancy that, the ever powerful Earth Bender was captured, her condition leaving much to be desired. The Fire Nation Prince couldn't believe it and he stared with a mixture of shock and horror at her beaten body.

Her whole body was bloody and dirty. Her clothes were torn and her small form hung limply in the two guards' arms. This was a very different image to the girl they all knew four years ago. She was no longer that spunky, feisty girl but someone totally defeated and hurt. He could see the dullness her eyes had taken on. No longer the blind yet bright, minted orbs she usually possessed.

The island they were on, was where the army was being assembled. Azula had refused to take her brother back to her father, insisting that he not know of Zuko's whereabouts and ordering him to serve by her side. She commanded her own army and for that, Lord Ozai had built up a fortress for her on the Island of Kali which stood as a barrier between the Fire Nation and the Earth Kingdom, giving her much access to both nations which she would soon rule over.

Her eyes glinted darkly at the Earth Bender who had grown little since they last saw each other at the battle during the Eclipse. She was a little taller, no doubt reaching her maximum height and her green eyes were heavy lidded, almost closed with fatigue and exhaustion. In the princess' eyes, it was a beautiful sight. Absolutely lovely to see such pain and defeat.

"Well, well, well. It seems that Toph Bei Phong, the Blind Bandit has finally fallen. And I thought you would have been one of the last." Azula's voice was mocking and it cut like a knife through the thin barrier that Toph had tried to reconstruct around her mind.

The girl didn't say anything, her faint breathing seemed to grow fainter. "What's wrong, little one? Fire burnt your tongue?"

"Show some respect!" One of the guards shook her roughly and a faint whimper escaped her lips. Azula almost didn't hear it.

"Hm, don't worry Major Ling, she's just a little tired." The Fire Princess stepped forward and placed a finger under Toph's chin, forcing her face up, "It's a good thing you can't see; this place would reduce you to tears." She stepped back, looking at her two friends. "Mai, Ty Lee, see that she gets cleaned up. And don't forget the Depression Chain, we can't have our little Earth Bender causing havoc on my new fortress can we?"

The girls nodded and Zuko watched as Toph was carried away with them. "What do you plan on doing with her, sister?" Although he had a feeling he already knew the answer but hoped it was anything but.

The girl smirked. "Bait of course. She apparently saved her friends before our soldiers could capture them at the Magnite Caves. She was taken instead. There was no way she could have escaped but I'll say that she did a lot of damage to that group."

The prince nodded and kept silent. That was all he could do around her, all he wanted to do. By doing this, he'd learned more about her and her ways. He knew her character as well as keeping his own quiet. He cast one last look at the room that the blind girl disappeared through before nodding to his sister and leaving.

--

Everything around her felt fuzzy. She couldn't seem to feel anything. Her head was heavy and her body seemed to float. Her hands were aware of a smooth surface and she could feel the earth in it. It was ceramic. A bathtub. But as she tried to bend it, a sharp pain shot up through her body and she groaned in pain.

"Don't bother, the chain around your neck stops you from bending." Came a dry voice, one that she remembered all too well. It was Mai. That cold, heartless bitch, Toph recalled with a sense of anger.

She soon began to regain feeling and she was aware of warmth and steam. Her whole body was soaked in warm water and she let out a deep sigh. She flicked her fingers in the liquid and felt the sting of it in her cuts. Then she remembered everything. Being ambushed in the caves, sending her friends below the earth and fighting with the soldiers until everything went blank.

She gasped, sitting up suddenly, her eyes wide and water cascading down her head and upper body. But as she did so, her muscles resisted and ached. "Ow." Hissing in pain, she leaned back down and concentrated. She was in a room with tiled walls and floor. There were two women including Mai and the other one she immediately recognized as Ty Lee.

It must have been the wash room. She heard the almost sympathetic voice of Ty Lee say close to her right, "Sigh, you'd best not move for the while. You'll only hurt yourself more."

"What am I doing here?" She asked, as roughly as she could.

Mai rolled her eyes and told her boredly, "Apparently Azula's gone soft on you. She doesn't see any reason to kill you because of the chain. But I personally think she's got something else in store for you."

"You're done, come out and get your clothes on." Ty Lee stepped forward, there seemed to be something very soft and slippery in her hands.

Toph sunk deeper into the scented water. "No. I can dress myself."

"Don't make me come in and get y-"

"Just try it circus freak." Her voice was weak but deadly and she could almost see the look of annoyance on the girl's face.

With two quick movements from Ty Lee, Toph felt her body go limp as she was picked up, out of the water by a newcomer. "Let go of me! Don't touch me you pigs!" She screamed, trying her best to move her arms or legs at least but she couldn't feel anything.

"Relax, Hothead, it's nothing we haven't seen before." Came Mai's bored tone through the screaming and the shouting.

Once the girl was forced unceremoniously into her new clothes, her feeling was given back and she fell loftily onto the floor. "What did you do to me?" She snarled, glaring at Ty Lee. The girl merely shrugged and said bubbly,

"Nothing special, but there's more where that came from if you don't behave. And I normally don't like hurting people unless I really have to."

The taller girl stood up from her chair and picked the captive up by her arm, dragging her out of the steamy room and into the cooler air. "C'mon, I'll take you to your new room which you'll either find a great comfort or a total prison. Your choice."

Toph had barely enough strength to walk so she held back and just followed, aware of Ty Lee's presence all the while. They were her enemies. It was no use trying to be kind. It wouldn't work on her.

--

"Uncle, she's here." Came the whispered voice of Zuko, through the tiny peephole.

He heard a shuffling until he his uncle's genuinely interested voice was clear. "Who?"

The scarred boy checked for anyone along the deserted hallway and said quietly, "Your friend, the one who stays with the Avatar. The Earth Bender."

There was a short silence. "Toph. Oh dear. I was always worried for that one. One so kind and caring deserves nothing like the treatment Azula is going to give her."

Zuko sighed, closing his eyes and leaning against the door. He knew the fondness his uncle had for the girl and he deserved to know about her. Zuko didn't care much for her but his uncle did. He felt guilty. He had abandoned life with his uncle for life with his sister who didn't give two flames about him.

"What would you have me do?" He asked, his tone willing and strong.

Iroh smiled sadly at his nephew. The guilt that burdened him still hadn't left, and wouldn't leave unless someone got through to him. Placing his hand over his heart, he told the young boy, "Watch over her. Don't let Azula hurt her. If she does, tend to her. She may seem strong, but even the strongest rock can crumble and fall when beaten over the edge."

Zuko nodded, his long hair having grown back and into its original style slicing the air as he heard movement. "I have to go. I'll bring you some food later." After a moment, he added, "And some tea."

A deep satisfied laugh erupted. "You do that, and make it ginseng, I have a feeling my body needs some cleansing."

And the boy was off.

--

"Ouch! I may be weak but I'm not numb!" Came the annoyed voice of the Earth Bender as her hair was brushed and pulled by the servant woman who just looked at her without caring.

"Maybe this is Azula's new form of torture. Head mutilation by hairbrush." Sarcasm dripped heavily from Mai's husky voice. Ty Lee giggled and watched on.

Toph was at a loss here. She was supposed to be a captive. But a room had been set up for her, as well as clothes and servants. As if her questions were about to be answered, the door was opened and the guards called out clearly, "Princess Azula."

The servants stood and bowed and were ushered to leave. The Princess nodded towards her friends and they left without a word. And it was now just her, and the woman who put her here. The room was silent, the only sound being the breathing from both girls and the dripping of water from Toph's hair.

"I see you're cleaned up. You'll probably want to know why you're here in a more...desirable state. The answer's simple; I want a fair fight in the end when your friends come after you. It'll be no fun at all if they arrive to save you and you're too weak and rotten. But there's another reason too, my father knows of your capture. He wants to see you...unharmed unfortunately. I don't know when he'll be here, probably within the next month or so." Azula was quick and to the point and Toph stood there in silence, her hands clenched and her head aching.

She didn't want to be here, at least give her some pride. But she thought to herself, _'It's better than rotting and not being able to help. I'll just have to do my best and find out as much of this place as possible.'_

The smaller girl unclenched her fists and tilted her chin up defiantly. "It seems I'm going to be here for a while, but I will make one thing clear; I will get out of here. Way before you or anyone of your soldiers realise and when I come back to kill you, you'll be sorry."

Azula smirked, and though Toph couldn't see it, she felt it and she knew it. "We'll see little one. But in the meantime, you'd better rest and get those wounds cleared first. I don't fancy fighting scarred people." Her voice was thick with spite and at that moment, Toph knew who she was talking about, Zuko. She had felt his presence earlier and knew he was still with his sister. The idiot.

"Goodnight, little one. Eat, sleep, get ready to die within the next few months. And you can wonder around my fortress if you so wish, every place, except my room, is welcome for you to explore. You won't find any escape routes that easily." She walked out, leaving the blind girl seething and trembling with anger.

As soon as the door was closed, she ran to where the bed was, knelt beside it on the floor and screamed loudly into the pillow, burying her head in the soft cotton. She was panting by the time she'd finished and her whole form just gave way. She didn't even notice Mai and Ty Lee, watching her from the door.

"She's tired isn't she? I wish she'd just stop being so stubborn." the sweeter one of the two said, cocking her head to the side and looking at the girl sympathetically.

Mai just raised a brow and stated, "Since when did you take a liking to that thing?"

The brown haired girl looked up at her friend and her lips turned upward slightly. "She's interesting. I mean, I know we'll end up killing her, but she could try and be civil for now. We are aren't we?"

The girl had a fair point and Mai turned to look at the sleeping form of the girl with green unseeing eyes. "Hm. We'll try tomorrow morning. You're tired. Go to bed."

In truth, they were both tired, it had been a long day and this was the only one time really that Mai had shown some kindness in a while and she was glad no one was here to see it except for Ty Lee. She wasn't sure of Azula's plans but whatever they were, they could wait and as they both turned to leave, the gold eyed girl turned to look back at the sleeping girl, allowing a small ounce of sympathy into her features before she left.

She was so keen on getting rest that she didn't notice the door open and close again behind her. Zuko stepped into the dark room all clad in black. He put out all the fires so that only the light from the moon streamed in. He crouched down next to the sleeping form and lifted her weightless body onto the bed with ease.

"I'm doing this for Iroh. Not you." He whispered haughtily before sitting in the shadows and watching her.

He didn't realise she was awake until she turned over, her green eyes wide in the silvery light of the moon, unshed tears threatening to spill. Or perhaps it was just a trick of the light. Toph wouldn't cry, of that much he knew.

"Get out of here," she whispered ghostly, her fingers trembling as she tried to move them. But they hurt. A wry smirk made its way onto the boy's lips as he watched her pathetic attempt at bravado.

"I don't think so."

"Where is Iroh?" she interrupted, more forcefully, her body curling into a ball.

His mouth turned down at the corners. "Maybe you should be more worried about yourself than him. You're going to die soon."

The dry chuckle that sprung from her lips made him raise a brow in intrigue. "So everyone keeps saying. Hasn't happened yet, so until then…"

Zuko found himself unable to say anything. He despised her on principle. From her silver tongue to her brashness and confidence that bordered on stupidity. She was strong, that much was certain. But she was breaking. And she wasn't going to last very long if she kept this up. Maybe it was better that way. Let her die without much torture. It would be more humane on Azula's part. That woman was as sadistic as they came.

Then again…

He watched her 'watch' him. She was tense, and in his mind he thought how that wasn't going to help with her recovery. Not that he cared. Iroh said nothing about helping her escape, only making sure she didn't die a horrible death. He could try feeding her poison, it would be painless and quick and she wouldn't know what hit her. But that would bring suspicion upon himself.

Well, his whole mission was half-assed anyway. Just make sure she didn't suffer and Iroh would be fine. But deep in the boy's mind, he knew Iroh secretly wanted him to help her escape. He hated that his uncle had such expectations of him. He would betray his own Nation a million times over and still the old fool wouldn't be content.

Her hoarse voice broke him out of his musings.

"Having an internal conflict there?" There was a trace of sarcasm in her tone and it annoyed him further. Her next words made him had to refrain from spitting out a spiteful comment. "It's a little late to regret joining your psycho sister, Prince. I hope you live a long life knowing how you could have done the right thing but chose stupidity instead."

"Shut up, Earth Bender," he spat, standing up and scowling over her pathetic form. She was as good as gone. "You're lucky I don't kill you here."

Toph snorted. "No," she said slyly, "I'm lucky that Azula and your father want me alive."

He smirked. "So you're already heeding to their wishes."

"Not a chance. I'll get out of here. And when I do, I'll make sure you and your screwed up family are sent to the seventh level of hell." The lightness in her tone unnerved him somewhat. How could someone who was as battered as herself still have a spine of steel?

He smiled darkly and he knew she could feel the temperature drop. She tensed, her face becoming guarded as she waited for him to speak.

"I'll just have to melt that spine of steel. And when I do," he revelled in feeling her cringe and draw back in fear, "you'll see just how painful life can be." He sat back in his seat, watching as she turned away from him, shivering despite the blanket he placed over her earlier.

Screw Iroh and his will to do good.

Screw Azula and wanting her alive and healthy.

He was going to break her. Whatever it took, he was going to hurt her. Then maybe she'd see what sort of life he had lived. What sort of pain he had felt.

He'd show her what true pain felt like.

A/N: Yes, I'm rewriting. This will be a million times better than the original. Ugh, I'm so glad I decided to do this. Hopefully all chapters will be rewritten and posted by middle of November. And then I just have to finish it…and start my new Toko fic :)

Please review!

Peace out!  
Rex


	2. Warnings

Lost In Delirium

Chapter 2: Warnings

Toph awoke to the sound of a knock on the door.

"Your breakfast, girl." Came the cold voice of someone she didn't recognize, must have been a servant she thought.

Toph muttered a short, curt, "Thanks," before the woman closed the door behind her. Walking over towards the table where her food was, she grimaced, refusing to eat it and instead settling for something to drink.

She poured herself a glass of water from where she remembered the jug was and drank until her throat wasn't dry anymore. The thick chain was still around her neck and it felt more like a metal collar than anything else. Toph tugged on it, hard and tried to find the clasp. There was only a key hole at the back and she wasn't the best at picking locks. Her Earth bending was obviously bound until further notice…if at all.

Kicking the bed in frustration, the small girl sighed and sat down. There was no way she was leaving without someone to accompany her. And she was hungry. The sweet bread they gave was so tempting and she was so close to actually just taking one bite from it. But fear of it being poisoned made her bite her tongue down.

Instead, she closed her eyes and sat on the floor, her mind mapping out a picture of the entire fortress. It was large, most parts made of a dark marble and others made of wood and metal. She could already memorize her room as well as the ones nearby and the passages and hallways leading around them on this floor.

There was a large courtyard outside, and a garden. There were fountains and lakes, trees and forest from what she could tell. And as she waited, and listened, she soon began to memorize certain figures that were constantly around this floor. And she soon felt Mai and Ty Lee walking towards her room.

They seemed in good spirits from what she could tell and when they walked in, her head turned towards their forms. It didn't matter that she couldn't see, it only mattered that she knew where they were and what they were doing.

"Good morning, Toph, and how did you find your sleep last night?" Ty Lee, ever the happy one, walked towards Toph and sat down, with a smile on her face.

The girl just shrugged, saying with a non-committed tone, "It was fine. What are you doing here?"

"Ty Lee's idea. I just followed." Came Mai's mirrored voice.

"We just wanted to see how you were doing. Hey, you haven't eaten your breakfast."

Toph snorted. "The woman who brought it seemed a little too unpleasant for my taste. She might have poisoned it."

"All your food was checked by the two of us before the servants sent it. It's fine. Just eat." Said Mai again.

Toph sighed and stood up, walking over and picking up the bread before sitting back down. "Oh well, if I die now, it'll save Azula the trouble." She ate it.

The three of them made light conversation along the way and Toph began to feel more at ease around them. They weren't thoroughly evil, they just followed orders and hurt people when they felt like it. The Earth Bender had felt better today though she still harboured the blue and black marks and a few healing cuts.

The two Fire Nation girls were pretty good company when you really had no one else to talk to. They didn't seem as vicious as before and the young girl felt that she rather enjoyed their company. Ty Lee would act as ditzy and bubbly as ever leaving Mai to neutralize it with her sarcasm and cynical thinking.

"So, does Azula know that you two are here?" Toph finally asked, looking at the both of them with an interested frown.

The two looked at each other and Ty Lee said truthfully, "She was actually the one who told us to come and see you. She said something about not wanting you to be bored. She'll probably come in and talk to you too herself."

Toph wasn't too keen on that idea. These two for the moment seemed harmless and she wasn't too worried that she had the Depression Chain on. But with just Azula, she was slightly unnerved. The Fire Princess was never one to be trusted.

The grey eyed girl fingered her high braid and then said, more seriously this time, "Azula's dangerous. I don't disagree with you on that. But...there are things about her that you can always trust. Like, you can always tell when she's telling the truth. Always and when she told us that she wouldn't hurt you while you were here, she meant it."

Toph turned to Mai who nodded, then remembering that she couldn't feel air vibrations that well, said, "She's right."

Toph sighed and nodded. She'd have to be wary of the princess, but she'd try to be on her best behaviour. Another knock sounded a while later and the same woman came in to give Toph her lunch. She paused when she noticed Ty Lee and Mai sitting there and she bowed, lowering the tray to their level and allowing them to check through it.

Ty Lee who specialized in all sorts of herbs and poisonous plants, could decipher what was in the food and it seemed fine. She nodded and the servant left.

"She doesn't like me." Toph said, popping a piece of meat into her mouth.

"These servants don't like anyone." Mai snorted and rolled her eyes.

"Why are you two being so nice then? I mean, before you both seemed like you wanted to kill my friends and I."

Mai smirked and Ty Lee just smiled sheepishly.

"As we said before, we were following orders. But, honestly, apart from you, your group is just a plain nuisance." The amber eyed girl said, studying her fingernails.

"Not all of them, I mean, the girl is annoying, and the avatar is just...the avatar, but -what's his name- Sokka is pretty cute." The acrobat giggled. Toph laughed at that and smiled to herself.

"It takes time to get used to the Sugar Queen and the Monk but Sokka is always fun," Toph said quietly, fingering the hem of her crumpled dress and biting down on her cheeks. She couldn't let them know how much she missed her friends. Or what her feelings were to any of them. Mai and Ty Lee may be reasonably friendly now but Toph knew that at the snap of a finger, they would turn on her.

She thought about to when she had saved her friends and the looks she felt them give her before she sent them underground. They had all been genuinely worried for her and their voices betrayed that even more. She missed them. There wasn't one day on those ships that she hadn't thought about them.

Ty Lee looked at her with understanding. "Hey, don't worry. They'll come for you for sure. And just think, by then we'll be able to go back to being enemies."

The green eyed girl didn't know whether to frown or smile so she settled for a slightly disturbed grimace. It was true, they had all come to a mutual understanding while she was here. But at the end of it, they were still enemies and they still had to fight to the end.

It was late in the evening when they left her room and like yesterday, Zuko sneaked in, unawares. But Toph was awake and she turned sharply when she felt his light movements. "Who's-" She stopped. She recognized that heartbeat anywhere.

"_You!_" she hissed coldly.

The boy sighed and walked over to her. "Me."

She got into her fighting stance. "What are you doing here?"

He just watched her, a scowl on his face. "Calm down, unless you want the entire army in here."

He wasn't lying so she relaxed but still monitored him carefully. "What do you want."

He ran a hand over his head and tried to reason with the fiesty girl. "Nothing. I'm just watching you."

A small frown appeared on her forehead and he could tell she was confused. "Sit down, I'm not going to hurt you. Like I said, I'm just watching you."

He saw her hesitate, then sit down on her bed, and as they sat there in silence, Zuko looked at her up and down. She hadn't changed much, she was still small compared to most and her hair had grown longer. She was taller and her body more feminine but he could still see that rough stance and that determined nature of hers.

She was on guard and there wasn't much he could do to earn her trust. Especially after what happened during the times he tried capturing the Air Bender. "Azula's sent troops after your friends. Just thought you'd like to know."

The girl turned her head in his direction and glared. "She said she's using me as bait. What's the point in capturing them if she's also luring them here?"

Zuko shrugged. "Beats me. Azula's smart. She probably wants to keep an eye on them, making sure that they will come after you. If they don't, or if they take too long, she'll order them to attack and bring them here. Knowing your friends they might not be able to make it without you."

Toph stood, angry. "They've managed it before they had me and they'll do it again."

Zuko got up and sneered at her. "But I heard the Avatar's weak. All you've got is a water bender, a useless warrior and an Avatar whose powers he can't even use. Besides, what makes you so sure they'll come for you?"

"Trust, Zuko. It's something most people earn. Though in your case I think I'll let it slide. Tell me the truth. What are you doing here?" She demanded, marching right up to him, her fists clenched again.

"Be careful who you talk to like that around here. Not all of us are forgiving. You of all people should know." He snarled, glaring daggers into her green eyes. She could feel the heat of the glare, knowing she herself was projecting an equal image.

"Get out." She said, her tone deadly quiet. "I may not be able to Earth Bend, but I've still got hand to hand combat at the ready. So get out."

He smirked and stood up straighter, looking down at the grown girl whose personality rivalled that of his sister's. "I don't think you're in any position whatsoever to order anyone around here. Don't forget where you are, girl. I'm still the prince and you are still a prisoner. Get used to it."

As he turned and walked towards the window, he froze, cold at her taunting voice. "No prince in exile orders me around. I may be a prisoner but I'm still a noblewoman who can kick your ass any day."

He turned around and hissed, baring his teeth. "Shall we bet on that?"

"Ooh, did I hit a soft spot? I'm sorry dear prince." She smiled snidely and took a sip from her goblet.

He straightened and folded his arms, rubbing his chin with a contemplative smile on his lips.

"How does it feel to be so vulnerable?"

She froze and stared blindly, that taunting smirk wiped clean off her face.

The corners of his lips curled upwards coldly. "You may be able to fight me with your hands. But I've got weapons and my Fire Bending. It'd be a shame to scar the only thing that let's you see."

"Shut up."

"Ooh, did I hit a soft spot?" he mocked, "I'm sorry dear little Earth Bender."

"I said shut up!" she screamed angrily, her face growing flushed with emotion.

He grabbed her by the hair and pulled her face up close to his, glaring dangerously into her unseeing eyes. "Like I said, little girl, be careful who you talk to like that around here." She winced when he tugged harshly on her hair, her hands coming up around his wrists. "Now, I need an answer from you." He said, fixing his gaze on her pointedly.

"To what question?" she spat defiantly, pulling away roughly from him. He had finally let go of her hair.

"You're not weak, Earth Bender. Why didn't you escape with your friends?" His golden gaze held her own pale green one and although she couldn't see it, Zuko knew she felt it. He was probing her, she could sense his heart beat and his breathing. Everything was solely on her.

The dark haired girl took a step back, towards her bed, her jaw set. "The Fire Benders would have come after us. There were Dai Li soldiers in disguise amongst them. I never forget a heart beat or a voice. I had to stay back and deal with both of them. I made sure none of the Dai Li knew where I had sent them and I made sure your men didn't have a chance of getting to them." She sat down, fingering a tassel on her green garb. "And I would have made it out as well if I hadn't been so tired."

She still sat proud, tall despite her small stature and her jaw stiff, reminding Zuko for an instant of his mother and how she would set her own jaw when she was angered.

"A noble cause for a noble woman."

She nodded, her fringe falling over her eyes. "A noble cause."

She paused and a short silence followed before she stood up. "Your sister is coming. And if I knew better, you don't really want her to know you're here."

Zuko shook his head. "It doesn't matter. As long as she doesn't know what I'm here for. Just don't say anything." His tone was kinder she noted. Not thoroughly nice, but it wasn't as rough and detached as before.

The door opened and the woman of topic walked in. Brown brows rose as she noted the company she had. "Ah, Zuzu, it seems you came to give our guest some company. Or should I be saying prisoner, which do you prefer?"

Toph merely glowered, standing still.

The princess laughed cynically. "Hm, guest it is then. Zuzu, I don't mean to be rude but may I have a few moments alone with my newest friend?"

Zuko stiffened at the nickname and at the request but he walked out anyway, keeping close to the door.

When he was gone, golden brown eyes turned to Toph and narrowed in humour. "Well, well. It seems my brother has been of use after all in your matter. And I thought he'd harbour too many feelings of spite to come and see you. Tell me dear, how have you been? I trust my people have been treating you right enough?"

She seemed genuinely interested and Toph nodded snidely. "Yeah. No problems...yet." She muttered the last part, her own sarcasm getting the better of her.

The taller girl fixed her with an uneven gaze before relenting. "Good. You probably want to know why I'm here. I'll save you the trouble of asking and just tell you. I want to know, why it is, that word has come to me saying that your friends are going in the completely opposite direction to where you are. They're heading towards the South Pole. Why?"

Toph lowered her head and grinned triumphantly. They'd gone to get help. It would take them longer to get here than she knew but they'd get help, Aang would find help of his own and Ba Sing Se would be once again, run by Earth Benders.

Small lips curved upwards. "Maybe they've forgotten about me and don't care."

The princess smiled mirthlessly. "Cute. But you're not that cute. Why aren't they making their way here?" She asked again, this time more forcefully.

Green eyes rolled in annoyance. "Isn't it obvious? They can't take me by themselves. They need help. And you're not going to be able to stop it."

Red lips turned into a snarl. "I figured as much from you and your friends. Well we'll give them a fight to remember." She turned on her heel and walked to the door. "Don't get too attached to anyone around here. Despite their actions, they're still your enemies. It would be wise especially to stay away from my brother. He's not always what he seems. Good night dear." She closed the door and left a lost and rather annoyed Toph to ponder on what she was talking about.

* * *

Zuko hid behind the large marble pillar outside of Toph's room and waited for his sister to make her exit. He couldn't ear anything but muffled voices and so chose to just leave it. A few minutes later, the woman emerged, a small smile on her lips.

As she walked away, she called behind, "Be careful around this one Zuzu, she's a little too perceptive. Now I know you won't help her escape or anything like that but do me a favour dear brother, don't get too close to her. She seems quite the manipulative one."

Zuko sighed and came out of his hiding. "Why are you doing this? Why not just kill her and get it over with?"

"Oh I intend to. Eventually. Be good now Zuzu, we don't want any trouble." She turned around and her honey eyes glinted. "And think about what I said. Don't get too attached." With that, she walked away.

The boy groaned when she had left and he slid down the wall of the pillar and onto the ground. Pulling his long hair out of its tie, the amber eyed boy mussed it in annoyance and closed his eyes. Nothing could get past his sister and to be honest, it worried him. She was usually right in her assumptions and for that, he often listened to her despite the obvious age difference.

But he was only doing this for his uncle. Iroh would be extremely upset if anything were to happen to his favourite Earth Bender. He didn't care much for the others but for some reason, he had a soft spot for the young girl.

"Stupid bitch," he muttered under his breath, glaring at nothing in particular. He hated the Earth Bender with a passion. It wasn't anything personal, perhaps had they been in a different time and place, they would have been friends. But she was friends with his enemy and that made her an even bigger enemy, especially considering her ties with other important people of her Nation.

He got up and walked in, confused for a moment as he closed the door, at the sudden darkness. He was caught off guard suddenly by a rough hand to his chest and was flung back against the closed door, a pair of very angry looking green eyes glaring into him.

"I knew it, you may have managed to deceive me earlier but I understand now. You're trying to get info about my friends from me!"

He sneered and grabbed her wrists painfully, pushing her off him and causing her to stumble backwards.

"Get off me you filthy-"

Zuko didn't get to finish his words as her fist came swinging and collided rather painfully with his cheek. He was livid.

Taking hold of her neck easily and swinging her against the wall, he harshly clamped his hand over her mouth, sending her head painfully into the hard surface behind her and making her wince and close her eyes from the pain as he whispered darkly into her ear,

"My uncle wants you alive and he doesn't want Azula to touch you. He didn't say anything about _me_ though."

* * *

A/N: Alright, so this chapter was…half-rewritten. The beginning if pretty much the same as the original but the ending and all is a lot different. So now

**REVIEW AND TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK!!!**

Peace out!  
Rex


	3. The Way It Is

Lost In Delirium

Chapter 3: The Way It Is

Zuko cleared his throat, his lips tight in a scowl as he glared equally darkly back at the green eyed girl.

"Now tell me," he hissed dangerously, "what is this about?"

"For not telling me the truth as to why you're here!" she spat once he had removed his hand from her mouth, one hand on his throat and the other on his shoulder, as she tried to push him away. "I may not have my bending, but I can still kick your ass to high heaven."

She boy sneered, knowing full well she was aware of the expressions anyone had on their faces. "So you've said. I told you, I'm here to watch you."

He wasn't lying from what she could tell, but people have been able to mask their lies before, she would find out eventually. "I'll find out what you're hiding. I can tell you know. You, Ty Lee, Mai and Azula. You're all hiding something. You're telling me the truth to some extent but I can feel something else."

Liquid pools of amber rolled. "Most people call that paranoia. You're too distrustful."

Toph tossed her hair in her high ponytail. "Can you honestly blame me? Look at what you're doing to me right now! Look where I am!"

Her blind eyes were wild with fury. The Prince actually thought it was a rather marvelous sight.

Zuko shrugged and let go of her, leaning against the wall and watching her as she walked away and sat down at a table and drank a glass of water. He watched carefully as she gripped the glass once she had set it down, her breathing deep. "If this thing wasn't around my neck, I could bring the whole place down in the blink of an eye." He caught the trace of bitterness in her voice, more so than her just telling a fact.

"I know." He said, fiddling with the hilts of the two Dao around his waist. "But you can't. I know you'd like to though."

The girl smirked darkly. "Oh you have no idea." The metal brace around her neck was really pissing her off and though she could bend metal, the bloody thing kept her from bending anything at all. A sudden thought came to her. "What did you use to make this?" She asked, fingering the ring around her neck.

Zuko pushed himself off the wall and walked towards her. "It's a rare metal we found. Ever heard of Alchemy?"

She frowned. "You mean making potions and all using herbs?"

The boy snorted. "That's one kind. I'm talking about turning any metal into gold, using the philosopher's stone. The elixir of life. Well, we did something like that, just without any old stone or whatever. We used the sap of a rare tree, up on the mountains here. It had...strange effects on the swords we used when we were building this place. It made them harder and stronger and it dampened the wielder's ability to use it. So we tried it on this metal while it was molten. And when we touched it, we couldn't Fire Bend. Quite a remarkable thing actually."

"How many have you made?" She asked, almost dreading the answer.

A slow smirk came over his lips. "Hundreds. And we're still in the process of making them. Don't worry though, once the thing comes off you'll be fine. You'll have your abilities back and no harm done."

"Pfft, yeah. Other than the fact that I won't have any practice." She muttered, throwing him a glare.

"Hm" He chuckled. "I doubt you of all people would be the one to need it."

The girl twirled around, hands behind her back as she walked slowly up to him, a small smirk on her lips.

"Oh, I see. Finally kneeling to my power?"

"Hardly. More like," He paused for effect, "acknowledging your bad temper." He grinned at the livid look on her face.

"I do NOT have a bad temper!" She shouted indignantly.

He raised a brow, the smirk still playing on his lips. "Oh really? Could've fooled me."

"Careful Zuko, sarcasm doesn't suit you very well."

"Neither does it suit you, my dear but we all try. Some more than others unfortunately." The girl growled and grabbed the glass and lurched it his way with as much strength as her weak form could muster.

She stomped her foot when it hit the wall, merely inches away from his head, and clattered to the ground. He didn't even flinch. Damn him. He folded his arms, grinning darkly and his eyes glittering with amusement.

"Temper, temper. Really, you should learn to control it, girl."

"I could say the same about you," she retorted sourly, her nails digging into her palm and forming half-moon indents into her skin.

He walked over to her, relishing the fact that his words could torment her so much and reduce her to such raw emotion. He rather liked having this sort of power over her. He wondered if he could make her cry. Now that was something he wanted to see. He wanted to see her weep and cry out, tears running from those blind green eyes and the cruelness of pain evident on her face.

He wanted to see her broken.

Because then no one would be able to fix her and she'd forever be weak.

Toph tensed as he came closer, her fists clenching at her side, ready to attack if he tried anything. Her heart beat loudly in her chest, and she suddenly felt nauseaus, fear and vulnerability evading her senses and making her lose touch with what was around her.

'_Panic…no…just breathe. Don't panic…'_

He swung his hand up and her eyes clamped shut, waiting for the blow. She loathed herself for not being able to defend herself.

But the pain never came. And her minty green eyes snapped open when she felt a hot hand on her cheek. She was too stunned to even blush.

"What are you doing?" she breathed, her arms limp by her side as he leaned in and whispered into her ear,

"You let your guard down."

Her eyes widened.

"I could burn your face off this instant if I wanted to."

'_Don't panic, don't panic, don't panic…he's just riling you up…stay calm…'_

Swallowing thickly, she whispered back, not even half as threateningly, "You wouldn't dare…"

His deep rumbling chuckle sent tremors of fear up and down her spine. She didn't know why he suddenly felt dangerous. But she knew she had to be wary around him now. He meant every single one of his words. He had no qualms about hurting her.

His hot breath blew into her ear. "Oh, I dare, little girl." He smirked against her skin. "What would Sokka think when he finds you half scarred?"

'_Sokka…'_

It was no secret that she was in love with the warrior. Well, Sokka was the only one who didn't realise since he was too in love with his beloved Kyoshi warrior, Suki.

"Don't talk about him." Her voice was deeper this time, more in control and assertive.

The hand on her face slid down her jaw and to her neck, where his fingers threatened to tighten.

"It hurts doesn't it?"

"No," she exclaimed hoarsely.

But even she couldn't keep that slight wavering out of her tone. And this only made Zuko's smirk widen.

"Oh, I think it does. But I'll spare the both of you that." He chuckled, a deep, deadly sound within his chest before he whispered coldly, "You really are the personification of blind love. It's a shame Sokka will never acknowledge it. After all," he paused, revelling in the waves of hurt he could feel from her, "who could ever love someone who can't even see them?"

With that, he backed away from her, leaving her suddenly cold and clammy. Uncomfortably, she averted her eyes to the side, biting her lip and bringing her arms around her.

"They wouldn't treat me any differently…no matter what I looked like." It was hard to convince herself…even more so to sound convincing.

He snorted wryly. "Do you really believe that?"

There was a sudden knock on the door and they both snapped to attention, Zuko whirling around as the door opened, revealing Azula's two right-hand women.

Zuko's hand went behind his back, gripping the girl's arm, almost as if he were shielding her. "Mai, Ty Lee." He said stiffly. Toph was too bewildered by the boy's sudden change in attitude to shake him off.

"Why hello Zuko, care to tell us what you were doing with our little Earth Bender?" Ty Lee asked, ditzy as usual.

The boy stiffened as he bit out, "Azula said she could leave her room. I was going to take her to the stadium." He lied.

"I see. Let me guess…to battle?" Mai's dry voice came out, the girl lazily playing with her nails.

Toph frowned and stayed behind the red-clad boy. There was something in the girls' voices, not the usual way they spoke to her. It was...almost mocking and there was a slight hint of threat.

"None of your business. Let us pass." The boy said, raising his voice.

"Relax Zuko, we're not here to fight." Ty Lee's taunting voice sounded as she danced around the two of them. "Toph," she said her name pointedly, "needs a bath."

Amber eyes were distant and distrustful. "A bath."

Mai nodded. "No harm, just water and soap and whatever else is in those colourful bottles." The sarcasm, dripping like honey from Mai's tone seemed to only annoy the prince as he reluctantly let go of her hand and guided her around him to the front.

Toph muttered a quick, "thanks, see you" before she followed the two deadly girls away. He stood there watching for a moment before walking off in his own direction.

As soon as they were sure he was out of ear shot, the two rounded on the smaller girl. "What were you thinking?" Mai demanded, hands on her hips as she glared at the minty eyed girl.

"What?" She asked defensively.

"Look, it's fine to leave your room...if you're with us. Azula will have our heads if you end up missing or lost around this place!" Ty Lee exclaimed, a rare scolding tone coming from her.

"Well sorry!" The girl rolled her eyes. "It's not my fault no one told me that."

Mai scoffed. "We really don't care what happens to you, but when it's our necks in the noose we tend to take things a little more seriously."

Toph made a face. "I don't care what happens either, my friends will make it here eventually and we'll kick your butts and make it out of here in one piece."

"We don't doubt that they'll make it here. But at least let them arrive and find you whole!" The acrobat was really being grated to the core and Toph smirked inwardly.

But deciding that arguing in the middle of the hallway wasn't going to get her cleaned up, she consented. "Fine, but really, Zuko won't try anything on me intentionally. He's too sugary for that. And besides, I can take care of myself with or without bending."

No one believed her. Apparently even Toph, judging by the uncertainty in her voice, didn't believe it her own words.

Mai rolled her tiger eye orbs and scoffed. "Just come on."

Toph followed, sulking. Ordering the girls to turn away, she undressed herself and settled down in the same tub as yesterday's, closing her eyes as she sunk under the water.

Her time with Zuko today had been interesting. He didn't seem to take her threats seriously and it almost seemed as if he accepted her character and fought to work with it. But there were parts of him that she wasn't sure of. It was almost as if he were surrounded in never ending shadow, his conflicting emotions cloaked and showing only tiny smidgens of themselves at a time.

But under all that, she could feel something deep. Something strong...almost passionate. But dark at the same time. There was no hope under that myriad of thought. No light, no happiness and no faith. But there was potential. No matter how many times he had threatened to hurt her today, he hadn't. And there had to be a reason for that. She knew that it was perhaps, Iroh who was pulling all the strings around this place, especially when it came to his nephew and herself.

The Earth Bender found that despite it all, she felt a small amount of pity for the boy, but in the end, that wasn't going to save him from her wrath when she was free. No small amount of kindness or hospitality from any of these people would save them when she gained control.

They were murderers and killers and horrible people who have done horrible things. As she resurfaced from the warm water, she took a deep breath and sighed. Her hair fell around her face in thin locks like a spider's web. Small droplets like diamonds dripped from those strands and she wondered what it would be like to be that tiny. To not have any worries and to just...fall and within a moment, be non-existent.

They would pay. One of them would come out victorious, the other a loser. And the winners would be her and her friends. She would not hesitate. It was just the way it was. And they knew it too.

She wanted Zuko dead.

* * *

A/N: Thank you to everyone who has reviewed so far :D It really makes me happy to be receiving reviews even after I decided to re-write this thing. Anyways, yeah, I changed this chapter a fair bit too…hopefully you all still like it!!

Now, REVIEW PLEASE!!!

Peace out!  
Rex


	4. In Which We Lose

Lost In Delirium

Chapter 4: In Which We Lose

Azula sat in Toph's room, her feet idly tapping the floor as she looked around uninterestedly. "Well, it seems you've made yourself at home." She said finally, the cool drawl to her voice.

The green eyed girl just sat stiffly on her bed, a scowl on her face. "What do you want Azula?"

The amber eyed girl smirked and said tonelessly, "Just wanted to visit my latest prisoner. How are you faring then, my dear?"

Toph pursed her lips and cursed silently. She really hated small talk and even more so with a certain sadistic princess who seemed ever so keen on tormenting her. "Just fine thanks," she bit out, her fingers curling at her side. She unconsciously pulled the collar of her shirt up higher, not wanting the princess to see the fading bruises from where Zuko had pinned her neck a few days earlier.

This of course didn't go unnoticed by the sharp girl. A small smile crept onto her lips.

"Did my brother try to kill you?" she asked loftily, standing up and flicking her hair over her shoulder.

Stiffening, Toph had to keep her face composed so as not to show how nervous she really was.

"What?" The Earth Bender cursed at not being able to hide the wavering in her voice as she usually would.

Azula smirked and stood in front of the girl, gently pulling her collar away and tracing her fingers over the light bruises. "They're quite lovely really. Zuko didn't do that bad of a job." She laughed snidely and pulled back, folding her arms. "But I'll have to tell him not to be too rough on you. I think my Father would like you to be able to speak at least."

Scowling, Toph spat angrily, "Zuko can try whatever he wants on me. It takes more than him to hurt me."

The Princess snorted, tossing her hair out of her face in annoyance. "I bet it would. You are very stubborn."

The girl pulled a face and said disbelievingly, "I'm stubborn? What about you? You never stopped coming after us!"

The taller girl waved it off. "That's determination, not stubbornness."

"Oh yes it is." Toph counteracted defiantly.

Amber eyes narrowed and glared into unseeing green ones. "Is not!"

"Get your grammar straight Azula and look in a dictionary! I'm sure that stupid owl in the desert still has a million and one other books under there!" Toph said wittily.

Azula sneered. "Well thanks to you none of us could get into that stupid place!" She paused, then thought for a moment. "Besides Captain Ming anyway. But he really doesn't count, being deceased and all."

Toph stopped and frowned. "He's dead?" Captain Ming was the head of the troops who were sent to capture them only last year. He had proved to be a very difficult enemy.

The brown haired girl smiled loftily and nodded. "Yes he is. He attempted a coup against me. He thought he could take over my troops. Well, I wasn't too happy and as you can imagine, neither were my troops." A small sadistic smile curved her lips. "He was dead before I could get him thrown in jail."

Toph looked on blindly in dislike. "How convenient for you."

"Yes actually, quite. It saves me the trouble and the space." She grinned and sat down elegantly on the girl's bed. "Tell me, Toph. How do you like it here?"

"Well enough to want to leave." She snapped, spinning around and snarling at the girl on the bed, her long hair falling out of its tie and causing dark tresses to fall around her shoulders.

Azula smirked. "Well aren't we the feisty one? Look girl, I don't want to have to hurt you yet, but if you keep raising your voice, I might just have to. No hard feelings of course, it's just too keep up appearances so that the guards don't think I'm going soft."

The girl quickly swept her hair up again. "You? Soft? Don't make me laugh."

The princess stood now, walking over towards the girl and leaning in close so that she could feel her minty breath on her face. "So lets not spoil it for them. You be a good girl now and refrain from getting yourself hurt. I want a fair fight in the end. And my dear, don't get too close to Zuko, I told the same thing to him but I figured you have more brain capacity to understand what that means. I told you once and I really hate repeating myself."

She stepped back and Toph frowned. "I don't understand. Zuko has nothing to betray to me that I don't already know..."

The slow, sadistic grin that laced her striking features could be felt even by Toph, who shuddered and took a small step back.

"He's very, shall we say, _obsessed_ with you at the moment. He likes hurting you. You are his biggest enemy here and you are the one who always keeps her friends safe." Amber eyes glittered with dark humour. "Let's just say no one has ever done that for him before. He's never had friends. It's my belief that he wants to break the bonds between you and the Avatar."

Dark brows furrowed together. "He could _never_ break our bonds. That's what friends are. That's what _family_ is."

"In case you haven't noticed, neither of us had much of a family, my dear."

The blind female laughed haughtily. "I wonder whose fault that is."

Azula laughed lowly. "Touché." Before she walked out the door, she cast a backward glance at the still glaring girl and simpered, "You're very perceptive, Toph. More so than I give you credit for."

Toph raised a brow and frowned. "So are you." She mumbled as the girl closed the door. What was with her anyway? That girl had no right…well, Toph reconsidered, it was her place after all.

She stalked over to her bed and threw herself on it roughly, closing her eyes and sighing. She needed time to think. She needed a way out. But with guards at every door and the stupid chain around her neck, she would not make it out without help. And in a place like this, that was impossible to find. Everyone wanted her dead. Or they knew she would be dead in the end. It made her wonder vaguely why everything had to end in someone dying.

Damn them all. She thought angrily.

--

There was a knock on the door not too long after and two figures came in.

"What are you two doing here? Going to reprimand me about yesterday?" She asked dryly, rolling over and resting on one hand as Ty Lee and Mai sat on the chairs watching her.

"Not really," Mai said uninterestedly, "We're here to...I don't even know. Ty Lee?"

The girl whined, "Because we're bored."

The girl scoffed, sitting up and folding her arms. "Well go be bored with some other prisoner."

"Can't, they're all either pervy men or just even more boring." Mai said flatly. She had her hair left down today and it was soaking wet, leaving drips all over the floor.

"You're going to get sick like that you know?" Toph said mockingly.

Dark brows rose. "Please, we're in the Fire Nation. I don't think there's been any case of a cold since we travelled to the South Pole."

Green eyes rolled. Figures...

"So, why were you and Zuko fighting yesterday?" Ty Lee asked, doing flips all around the room.

"We weren't fighting." Toph lied smoothly, falling back and clasping her hands behind her back.

Ty Lee stopped and glanced at her. Mai just gave her the dry 'yeah right' look and Toph, feeling their nerves rolled her eyes. "Fine, because we hate each other."

"Right" Mai dragged out, tossing her hair over her shoulder and pulling the torch off the wall and holding it carefully near her hair to dry it.

"You know, I'd laugh if you ended up burning your hair." Toph commented sagely.

"I'm sure you would."

Sensing the dampening mood of the room again, Ty Lee skipped over and jumped next to the Earth Bender, folding her legs on the bed.

"Wanna go out for tea?" She said cheerfully, reminding Toph uncannily of Katara.

"Tea?" She asked blandly.

The girl nodded. "Tea."

"Why would I want to go out to tea with you two?" Toph asked, brow raised.

Surprisingly, Mai spoke up. "I second that."

The chestnut haired girl frowned with a pout. "Well it's better than bickering in here all day."

Toph snorted and folded her arms. "Actually, that suits me just fine thanks."

Ty Lee turned hopefully to Mai but the girl only hid herself behind a book and said with her sandy voice, "Ditto."

The acrobat huffed and sat on the floor brooding. She looked around at the two others who really weren't doing anything at all. Mai was most definitely not reading that book and Toph...well she was only gulping down her jug of water.

The girl then narrowed her eyes and looked at Toph again. A slow smirk made its way across her pretty lips. "Hey Toph, I know why you don't want to go to tea with us."

Dark brows rose as the girl chugged down the water. "Oh really?" She said uninterestedly.

Even Mai glanced curiously over her book, hearing Ty Lee's taunting tone. And everyone who knew her knew that when she used that tone it was usually worth listening to.

The acrobat just giggled and wiggled her brows.

Rolling green eyes, Toph snapped, "Well, come on, spit it out."

She leaned closer, her voice softer and hushed. "It's because..." She paused for emphasis and continued playfully, "You want Zuko to take you to tea instead."

There was a flurry of movement and a good long spray of water that came out of the Earth Bender's mouth and all over Mai and the book in front of her.

"Nice." She murmured dryly, her eyes clearly not showing any sign of amusement as the girl choked and spluttered.

Red in the face and coughing madly, Toph managed to wheeze out, "Wh-what? Are you insane?'

The brown eyed girl just cackled, clutching her stomach and rolling on the floor. "Haha! You should have seen the look on your face!"

"Will it be the same as yours as I burn your hair off?" Mai glared at her friend.

The girl yelped and jumped up, running up and behind Toph, using the poor, slightly confused girl as a shield. "I was only joking!"

The taller girl huffed and dried herself off again. "You're so infuriating sometimes."

Toph rolled her eyes and stepped away from Ty Lee, walking to the window and breathing in the cool air, her eyes closed. What Ty Lee had just said had jolted her slightly. Was this what Azula meant about her not getting too close to Zuko? She was afraid that she might end up falling for him? She almost laughed. Get real!

As if she'd ever fall for a guy like him! The one who wouldn't stop coming after them! The one who almost singed her every time they fought! Well...except for the other day. She frowned lightly as her thoughts moved to that day.

He hadn't hurt her much at all really, at least not with the intention of killing her.

The melancholic girl sighed. What was his game? She had no idea and she wanted to find out. He said he was here to watch her. Watch her do what? Wilt away and die? Well good luck because he was in for a long wait.

A small part of her logical mind told her to stay away from him and do what Azula said. But another part wanted to find out more about him and what his plan was. He didn't seem like the kind of person who liked following orders given to him by family or not.

There was always something underlying his train of thought. Something that she couldn't pick. She wanted desperately to find out what his layers opened up into. But after thinking about it...did she even want to know? After he openly threatened to kill her, maim her and mutilate her…was it really worth finding out?

"Thinking about Zuko, Toph?"

Mai's dry, sarcastic voice filtered her back to her room and she turned around and raised a brow. "Why would I be thinking about him?"

Amber eyes flickered very slightly with amusement. "That's what most girls do here."

Toph scoffed and walked over to her bed, being mindful of the broken glass that still lay near the wall when she had tried and failed to throw it at Zuko. "Well I'm not like them."

The taller girl snorted. "Right."

Ty Lee who was currently brooding and pouting on the bed, moved over slightly to give the girl some space as she sat down next to her, pulling one knee up to her chest and the other hanging over the side of the bed.

After a while, hearing repeated sighs and wistful groans from the acrobat next to her, Toph rolled her eyes and snapped, "Will you stop that! We are not going out for tea and that's final!"

Ty Lee pouted even more and huffed in indignation. "Well maybe I don't want to go for tea anymore!"

"Good! Then you can stop complaining and go do something by yourself!"

They both rounded on each other in a battle of the glares. Of course, Toph, being the lucky one kept herself strong. "What if I don't want to leave?"

"Then I'll just have to make you." She hissed.

Mai watched with slight interest before sighing and groaning out, "Please, spare me the invisible lightning bolts and just get on with it or shut up. All this yelling is giving me a headache." She rubbed her temples and muttered, "You're both so childish."

Ty Lee's eyes flickered to her friend and back before she sat back and folded her arms, sulking. Toph did the same though with a smug smile on her face. So much for being childish.

The three of them just sat there in silence, the earlier truce between them seemingly broken. A few curses and names were thrown back and forth between the smaller girls and much to Mai's resentment, she felt rather old compared to the two others.

This is insane. She thought wryly. The obvious rancour in the air grated on all their nerves and even Ty Lee and Mai had a little friction between them whenever their gazes caught.

Toph wasn't really feeling up to any sort of spitfire between either of them so she just kept her mouth shut and waited for them to leave, sighing in relief a few hours later when they finally did.

She now had time for just herself. Finally. Not only was she annoyed sick by the two of them and their attitudes, but she wasn't really in the mood for anyone at all. Especially not snarky ponytailed boys with issues with themselves.

--

So when Zuko ended up walking through her doors about half an hour later, despite her pleas of "Please don't come in, please don't come in..." it was an understatement to say she was beyond amused.

"What do you want?" She snapped as he closed the door behind him. He wasn't in a good mood either from what she could tell and that almost made it slightly fun for her to torment him.

Instead, he ignored her and threw himself in a chair with a frustrated sigh. The boy ran a hand through his dark hair and scowled more to himself than anyone else. Toph did the same and turned away from him without so much as a single glance his way for the next hour.

She contemplated just letting him brood by himself and leaving her out of it, but even she knew it was useless to be that hopeful. So she just pretended he wasn't there and went about her usual; sitting down by the window and staring at nothing.

The tension in the air was worse than before and it was so thick that even an axe wouldn't have been able to cut it open.

Finally, the prince spoke. "Spit it out, girl. What's your problem?"

She scoffed. "So you're a therapist now? And I thought only Water Bending tribes had those."

He stood up, his chair falling to the ground with a loud clatter. "I'm not in the mood for your sarcasm, girl. So don't push me or I might just save my beloved sister the trouble and kill you myself."

She snarled and curled her fists, keeping her back to him. "Like you could." She murmured in a dark tone. He wasn't in a good mood? Well good! Neither was she!

"Stubborn bitch." He muttered, walking to her table and pouring himself what little water was left in the jug.

She refrained from getting up and pummelling him to death and settled for a soft, "Screw off." Her line of self-restraint was slowly being trodden on and withering away.

Amber eyes rolled. "You first."

She stood up quickly, turning on him with a growl. "What's your problem oh prince? You come here into my room with your mood all prissy and you say that I've got a problem?"

He just turned away nonchalantly, further fuelling her anger and drawled, "I have a problem? You should know by now little girl; I always have problems. None of which I am inclined to voice right now so mind your own bloody business."

That did not bode well with a nobleman's daughter and Toph found herself furious, kicking the leg of the chair with such vigour that it flew a few metres and fell to the floor with a loud clatter. "Have you any idea how frustrating you are to talk to? You're like a parrot you know that! All talk and complaining and no understanding at all."

He stood up and stalked over, grabbing her by the collar before she could fight back as he brought her face close to hers, sneering, "And you, child, are like an arrogant little brat who's been spoilt from birth. So learn about respect in front of those higher than you and train yourself to keep that mouth shut."

She struggled to get his hands off her by clawing at his fingers but to no avail. "Let go of me." She warned, a slight tremor in her words.

He smirked. "Or what?"

A twisted grin made its way across her lips. "Or this." She hissed before her fist swung and collided with his stomach.

The boy dropped her, curling inwards and clutching his stomach, the pain coursing through him. He groaned in pain and forced himself up, lunging for her and tackling her to the ground, her head painfully colliding with the stone floor.

"Ouch!" She moaned, her eyes scrunched up as she lay on the floor, him on top of her, holding her hands by her sides and sitting on her legs as he panted, ignoring the sharp pain in his abdomen.

"That'll teach you who to mess with here. Not all of us are as lenient as me." He said leaning close and glaring at her in the face.

Toph lay on the floor, breathing hard with the extra weight on top of her and struggling to break free. Her hair fanned out all around her face and she furiously blew stray strands out of her face.

"You're an ass." She remarked snidely.

The boy merely stayed where he was and looked down on her with a mixture of disgust and laziness.

"Likewise."

* * *

A/N: Right! This was a lot easier to re-write because I kept most of the scenes in here the same. I especially liked the last bit of tension between Toph and Zuko so I kept all of it the same :D Thank you to every reviewer! You guys really make writing this worth every single minute!

So keep those reviews coming! :D The next chapter should be out maybe tomorrow or the day after.

Peace out!  
Rex


	5. Touring The Castle

Lost In Delirium

Chapter 5: Touring The Castle

They stared at each other for what seemed like hours, Toph still pinned to the ground, unable to move and Zuko still on top of her, holding her down. She'd already insulted him about fifty times before she finally shut up and he took his own turn. It was like a game of tennis though much more scathing.

Toph's blind eyes stayed on where his face was and she proceeded to glare at him, feeling his own angry gaze on her.

"You're not light you know? Sooner or later you're either going to suffocate me or make me lose the feeling in my legs and give me gangrene." She stated smoothly. "Though I have a feeling that that'll go pretty nicely with my outfit considering that everyone always seems to put me in green."

He looked down at her from the top of his high, aristocratic nose and breathed a mirthless laugh. "Do you even know what green looks like?"

"Nope. Though it's apparently the same colour as grass and trees."

Amber eyes flickered for a moment with amusement and Toph caught that split-second jump in his breathing before it went back to the normal cold and stiff beat.

She smiled inwardly to himself. '_He's not as emotionless as I thought he was,_' she thought to herself. "So, are you going to get off me or what? I'm not lying when I say can't feel my legs."

He snorted and stood, pulling her up roughly, causing her to stumble slightly. "Gee thanks." The girl muttered under her breath.

During those few minutes, they'd managed to calm themselves down thankfully and no more casualties had been made though neither of them were sure whether that would last for very long. She pulled away from him and stalked over to her bed, lying down and closing her eyes.

"It's funny," she said blandly.

The boy merely raised a brow. "What is?"

"I never used to get tired during an argument. Must be because I didn't sleep much last night," she said more to herself than anyone else.

The amber eyed boy frowned slightly. "Why?"

She paused and cursed herself inwardly. _'Because I was looking for an escape. Oh real smooth Toph.'_ So instead she settled for, "Because I was thinking."

Oh yeah she thought inwardly. That would totally make him believe.

Zuko just scoffed and walked closer, his arms folded as he leaned against one of the pillars of the four poster bed. "Thinking. Right, girl, like I'd believe that."

Damn. She set her jaw and scowled from where she lay. "I was thinking up late about this place for your information." Which wasn't that far from the truth.

She'd been sitting on the balcony, trying to get an image of that area naturally to plan her escape. But she'd come back empty handed. There was no way at all that she could see for her to escape. Especially without her bending. There were guards stationed at every corner of the fortress and the tall metal fences were way too high for her to climb over, even with the aid of several small trees that she could climb rather easily.

She had nothing. But she'd keep on looking.

The dark haired boy eyed her before turning to take his leave. He knew that his actions were no doubt going to be classified as "kindness" and really it wasn't, but even he couldn't convince himself otherwise. It was his uncle's fault actually, as the old man had specifically given him orders regarding Toph.

Sighing and knowing he was going to regret this, he told her before walking out the door, "Get some rest. I'll show you around later tonight." And with that, he left the stunned girl behind.

"Show me around?" She asked but he closed the door before he could answer.

She scrambled up and rushed to the door, opening it and rushing into the hallway. "What...for...?" He was gone. She couldn't feel him anywhere. It was almost as if he'd vanished. Frowning, she walked back in, suddenly feeling a lot colder than a few minutes ago.

But she did as he said and went to her bed and closed her eyes, sighing to herself. It was times like these, when she was alone and lost, that she thought about her friends. What they were doing, what they were thinking, whether they were worried about her…of course they were. Biting her lips, the girl inhaled a shuddered breath and breathed out slowly.

She felt trapped and she wanted a way out. No, she _needed_ a way out. Girls like her weren't meant to be kept as prisoners. They just didn't fair well.

'_Please guys, find me…Please, please, please, please…'_

Her heart constricted within her chest, like an invisible hand had closed around it and was preventing blood from flowing through the tiniest arteries in the muscle. She could feel the weakening of her blood. They had not fed her well and she was not getting enough iron. The girl had actually learned to feel that necessary metal in her blood and had used it to the group's advantage, telling them when they needed to rest or when they needed to eat.

She couldn't bend it like Katara's blood bending, and she probably wouldn't ever be able to. But right now, she thought how useful that would be, especially in a place like this. But remembering that blasted thing around her neck that prevented any bending whatsoever, she realised that it would not be useful at all.

Oh how she missed her friends…

--

When she awoke a few hours later however, she desperately wished she hadn't. A wave of hunger ran through her and she clutched her stomach. "Eugh. I'm hungry."

"Good thing I brought food then," came Zuko's voice.

She stepped out of bed and noticed the prince in a corner of the room. "C'mon, let's go." He said quietly, handing her a sweet bun as she stepped close. "We have to be quiet; security around this part is high at night."

As they stepped out of the room, the girl let out breath of relief. She realised just how claustrophobic she'd felt the past few days and it felt good to escape the room. There was no one else that she could feel on this floor and she told him so but the girl hesitated after a while and stopped. "Why are you doing this? I doubt Azula's the one who let you."

The dark haired boy stopped too and glanced backwards at her. For a moment they just stood there silently, considering one another and it wasn't until Zuko stepped forward towards her that the girl felt a slight tremor in his voice.

"It's something I have to do. You'll find out one of these days. You're a smart girl."

He was sincere. And for some reason, for some wild, idiotic reason, she believed him. Dark tresses shone in the candlelight as the girl nodded. "Alright." And they continued walking.

The boy took her down the large staircase, gesturing often to Toph to see if she could sense anyone nearby. He told her of the many chambers down on the ground floor and showed her where the guards slept. He brought her towards the front door, keeping well in the shadows so as not to rouse the guards.

She shoved as much of it in her memory and tried retracing her steps every time, making sure she knew where she was and how she was going to get around. He showed her the weapons room, the dining hall, the sun room, the many sitting rooms and even where the kitchens were.

Toph tried to remember as much as she could, as well as distinguish the many feet that made their way above, below and around them. It was surprising to find so many people here in some island in the middle of nowhere. He even took her out into the gardens but they had to make a quick exit back when a couple of guards began walking their way.

"And this is where the maids and servants sleep." Zuko whispered as they passed a corridor with doors on either side. "There are at least five to a room; my sister didn't think that they needed much space," he added wryly.

Toph hid a smirk and nodded. "Well it doesn't matter because I doubt I'll be making my way down here anyway. I don't particularly think you're the _only_ one who wants to kill me. I mean every servant who's come into my room always gives me the evil eye…"

"You can't even see their 'evil eye.'"

"I can feel it."

The boy snorted. "I don't think Ty Lee or Mai would try anything at the moment."

The girl breathed an airy laugh. "No but they're keen on reminding me that they're not going to hold back when the time comes. But then again neither am I."

Amber eyes pierced green and Zuko felt almost certain that she had seemed sad when she said it. Perhaps she didn't want to have to hurt people who weren't really treating her badly at the moment. But that didn't seem like her. Even she could remember how things were four years ago when all they wanted to do was kill her and her friends. He felt a slight twinge of regret and sympathy for her but forced himself to turn away and continue her little tour.

They went past the steam room and the bathrooms and Toph remembered this place when she had first arrived here. All the bathrooms seemed cold for some reason; it was as if the marble and tiles here repelled the heat whereas the rest of the fortress seemed normal. She decided to check it out some other time when Zuko wasn't around. After all, she didn't quite know what his intentions were at the moment.

She was half beginning to believe that he wanted to help her, yet another part of her wasn't so certain. He was so unpredictable. And for a moment, she remembered Iroh saying that she and Zuko were alike_. _

_'I don't know who put cactus juice in your tea at that time,'_ she mused wryly.

She stopped suddenly. Someone was coming. Grabbing his hand without a word, she pulled him through a door into a linen closet, slapping her hand onto his mouth as he proceeded to protest. This proved to be rather difficult seeing as he was more than a head taller than her and she almost had to go on her toes to get a better grip on him.

"Stop struggling or I might accidentally break your neck," she hissed, pulling him lower.

He stopped moving when he heard two manly voices outside, laughing and talking in rather loud voices.

'_Now how did I not hear that?_' he wondered to himself, very much put out that he had just been bettered by a girl.

They waited silently until the voices began to fade and finally disappear. She let go of him roughly and gave him a kick to the shin, earning herself a yelp of pain in response. "That," she said angrily, "is for struggling you idiot!"

He glared at her in what little light was emitted through a small window and rubbed his leg. "Do you like hurting people or does this just come with the package?" His hand absent mindedly went to the area of his abdomen where she had punched him only hours before.

She opened her mouth to answer but then paused and said finally, "Both."

He rolled his eyes and grabbed her arm. "Come on, let's get you back," he growled, dragging her out.

He stomped his way back up to the room despite her cursing and a list of profanity that would have made Sokka proud. He finally shoved open her door and yanked her inside, closing the door behind him.

"Do you want to wake the entire place up?" he asked, annoyed beyond himself.

She pouted and scowled at him. "No but I'd prefer my shoulder still be in its socket."

"Stop being a baby." He scoffed and folded his arms.

"Well I never really got the chance to be one," she supplied snootily, folding her arms and seating herself on the bed.

He stared at her incredulously. "And you're choosing now of all times to relive that experience?"

She grinned and shrugged. "No better time than the present."

The boy groaned and slapped a hand to his forehead in defeat. "Why in the name of Agni did it have to be her, Uncle Iroh?"

Green eyes snapped up at the mention of the name and Zuko almost wanted to throw himself out of the window at his mistake. "What did you say?"

"Nothing," he said, too quickly for Toph saw through the lie.

"You said Iroh's name." The girl stood up and walked towards him. The look on her face was a mixture of curiosity, accusation and hope. He had mentioned it the first day he was here but she had almost forgotten, it felt like ages ago.

Zuko quickly shook his head and turned to go. "You obviously heard wrong."

"Don't you dare step one foot out of here," she said warningly. "You said his name. He's here isn't he?"

Lips thinning in frustration and defeat, the prince turned around and sighed. "He's locked up. I told him you were here. That's all."

"He's locked up?" All other thoughts of what Iroh might have told Zuko flew out the window when she learned of his being held captive. "Why?" she demanded, eyes wide.

Zuko turned away from her, his lids heavy and guilt coursing through him. "Azula put him there. Why else?"

"Why didn't you stop her?" she demanded, grabbing his shoulder and forcing him to face her. If she could see the look he gave her, she might not have been so bold; he was furious.

"Because if I didn't join her she would've killed him!"

Green eyes widened and she stepped back. She didn't need eyes to see he was past the point of anger. Neither of them spoke and Toph partly felt that she would've preferred if he kept on yelling at her; the tension was so thick that she just stood there helplessly, not knowing what to say.

She felt footsteps nearby and for once, she was glad they were there. Looking up into where his face was, she said softly, "You should go. They're coming here. Don't take the west hall."

With a final, fleeting look, Zuko turned swiftly and walked out, silently wishing that he hadn't been so brash and cold towards her. But he cursed it all a few moments later, remembering the reasons why he was not civil towards her. She was his enemy. She was the reason he couldn't regain absolute honour in the eyes of his family and his father. She and her stupid friends.

Boiling anger erupted within him as he walked to his room, his fists curling at his side and his jaw setting stiffly. His teeth grounded together and with an angry cry, he stopped short and swung his fist into the stone wall, feeling the sharp and throbbing pain shoot up his arm to his shoulder. The dark haired boy bit back a wince and bit the inside of his bottom lip, inhaling deeply and closing amber eyes.

"I hate her," he whispered darkly, eyes still closed, aware of a pair of identical orbs watching him with dark amusement from behind him. "Why did you have to bring her _here_ of all places? Why not the Boiling Rock?"

Azula smirked and leaned against the wall where Zuko's fist was still planted, streaks of blood evident against his skin.

"You know why, Zuko. I need her close to me," she stated drawlingly, arms folded.

The Prince's lips curled back in a snarl as he pulled his hand away from the wall. "Well I don't need her close to me."

She snorted. "But then again it's not about you is it, Zuzu? In fact…it was _never_ about you."

Oh how he wished he could swing a fist into his sister's face. It would do him more pleasure than gaining the throne; something which he knew was _not_ going to be passed to him. He hated this place. He hated everyone in it and most of all, he hated the green-eyed Earth Bender whose very presence tormented him to no end. The mere fact that he could be in the same room with her without killing her impressed him somewhat. But he didn't know how much longer all that pent up rage would hold back.

She had not seen _anything_ yet.

"And I hate you too," he added broodingly, turning his back on his sister and walking away again.

Her twistedly musical voice sent shivers up his spine.

"The feeling isn't as mutual as you think, dear brother."

He did not acknowledge her words and merely continued to his room, his mind on Toph and only on Toph. And how he wanted her dead and broken at his feet for everything she had put him through. He wanted her to pay. And he wanted revenge for all those long years of suffering while she had a blast with her stupid friends and her travels.

It was difficult being the villain, but in his eyes, she was the evil one.

"I hate you," he whispered painfully before slamming arriving in front of his chamber and slamming the door with a loud bang.

* * *

A/N: Thank you guys for all your reviews! And thanks to Lazyguy90 for always giving me TONNES of new ideas to put in this story! It's a shame I won't be able to use all of them but thank you so much for your contribution! As you all know, **KEEP REVIEWING!!**

Peace out!  
Rex


	6. Missing In Action

Lost In Delirium

Chapter 6: Missing In Action

Weeks passed without any visit from Zuko and Toph did not know whether to feel relieved or nervous. She spent her days hammering the soles of her leather boots to thinness so that it would be easier for her to feel the ground beneath her feet while still not giving away that she was actually learning something about this place. After another visit to the baths, she had figured out why it was so much cooler. The reason being an underground river, probably flowing in from the sea somehow. She did not know how she would break into it or even if there was any escape that way, but perhaps the next time, if given the chance, she could explore it further.

Mai and Ty Lee had made their presences worthwhile over the last week or so. When all three of them were bored, the two Fire Nation warriors would often visit her and the three would play mah-jong, though that proved to be quite difficult for Toph to learn, though as soon as she figured out how to recognise the different tiles by the feel of the engravings on the front, she was actually quite good.

But for some reason, it was usually Mai who won, her usual deadpan expression and voice signifying no real pride during the occasion. The girl learned to enjoy their company and at times when they left, she felt a sense of guilt and depression knowing that they were still the enemy, but cast that into the back of her mind and forced herself to remain rational.

Standing up from her place on the bed, the blind girl went around the side of the large wooden bed and kneeled down, sticking her hand under the mattress and pulling out a piece of fabric that had once covered a cushion.

In her pocket, were a few large and heavy stones that she'd managed to steal during a walk in the garden with Azula. She stuffed the stones into the cushion cover and pushed them all to one corner, tying a knot at the point where they were secure.

It wasn't much of a weapon, but if she played her cards right and managed to nick a few things here and there, it may prove to be her ticket out of here. Once she got out, the idea was to hide somewhere on the island until her friends came and they could all just run away. But even she knew that there were about a million and one flaws in the plan and the likelihood of it working, was next to zero.

Hiding the makeshift weapon back under the bed, she quickly stood up and composed herself as a knock sounded at the door.

"Uh – come in," the girl said quickly, seating herself on the bed and clearing her throat.

A rather flustered looking Azula walked in, and though she couldn't see, the rather shaky vibrations coming from her footsteps told her that something had happened. "And how are we this morning?" the princess asked, offhandedly, walking in quickly, slightly breathless. Now this wasn't Azula.

Confusion evident on her face, Toph stood up slowly and frowned. "Uh…I'm fine?"

The brown haired girl nodded, her mind seemingly on something else. "Good, good, nothing out of order. Good," she said, more to herself than anyone else.

Now Toph knew something was wrong. "Azula, is…what's with you?" she asked, unsure of how to talk to the girl when she was in such a state. She didn't know if she should have just asked normally but the girl probably wouldn't have realised anyway.

Brown eyes flickered with worry upon hearing the question and she paused, looking towards Toph almost as if she were pondering something about her. Shaking her head, the princess said calmly, "There's nothing wrong. Everything is going to be alright." Again, there was self assurance in her tone and something clicked at the back of the Earth Bender's mind. Although her last statement seemed more as if she was affirming something to herself than to Toph. Azula would _never_ say something like that to another human being.

Something had happened and the princess was scared. _'Does it have anything to do with Zuko?'_ she thought suddenly. _'Is that why I haven't seen him?'_

"Hey, Princess, has something happened?"

That seemed to bring the other girl back to her old self. Her face seemed to change and there was nothing in her body language or her heartbeats that told the girl anything. She was passive and cold and composed. And if Toph hadn't been trying to figure out what was wrong, she would have praised the girl's self control.

And the voice that came out of her lips was as level as ever as she said stonily, "Nothing has happened. I was just coming around to check on your welfare." She turned to leave, "You will dine with us tonight. Mai and Ty Lee will get you ready by seven. Don't be late."

She left as quickly as she came and for a few moments, Toph just stood there as still as a rock, stunned and confused. Dine? With Fire Benders? She'd rather get fried! But then she wondered why she was dining with them. Surely such an occasion marked the end of the world…that or someone was with them. Possibly the Fire Lord.

A sudden panic fluttered within her chest. If it was one person she didn't want to meet, it was Lord Ozai. Was that why, for less than a minute, Azula was so unlike herself? Why she seemed afraid and worried? The only time she'd felt Azula like that was when Aang, Katara, Zuko and herself had almost captured her before she hit Uncle Iroh.

But that was years ago. The girl's thoughts travelled to Uncle Iroh and how he was in a cell somewhere below her in the dungeons, probably with no water, half starving and dying. She vaguely mused to herself whether they gave him any tea.

Sighing, the green eyed girl sat back down on the bed, the daunting occasion of dining with Fire Benders inching ever so much closer like dawn's first light. She almost felt as if it was her last hour and she was having her last meal.

She shuddered and closed her eyes, hoping that her assumptions were wrong.

--

Azula sat in her work room, sitting at her desk, elbows on the table and her fingers massaging her temples. She was tired and the anxiety of tonight's dinner wasn't helping. There were a good number of Fire Nation officials and members of parliament coming and all of them wanted to see the girl.

The princess had no idea why but they wouldn't take no for an answer. Mai and Ty Lee sat opposite her, worry and concern evident on both their faces. The acrobat leaned across and placed her hand in front of the girl who, upon opening her eyes, sighed and grasped her friend's hand tightly for a second before letting go.

"Tonight's dinner is important. I believe that it is the guests' intention to make sure that I still have the girl. Many of them have seen her before with the Avatar and if it's proof they want, I cannot deny them that."

The girl stood and folded her arms, turning her back to them and looking out the window. "I do not know their intentions once they've arrived. There will be guards at every door and corridor but you two must keep an eye on the girl."

"But why?" Ty Lee asked.

"To ensure that she doesn't escape," she paused and inhaled deeply, confessing, "and to make sure that no one else takes her. She's important to us. We must keep her within our grasp at all times."

Both the other girls looked at each other and Mai asked hesitantly, "But why would they take her? It would be stupid to kidnap a prisoner from the Princess."

"These people are dangerous, Mai. What do you think it will look like to my father if one of my prisoners, the most important of them, 'escapes' and somehow ends up in some general's cellar?" She turned around and banged her fist on the desk, leaning down so that she was level with their faces, looking darkly into their eyes.

"I will not lose everything I've accomplished so far," she hissed. "I will not lose my dignity or my power or my chance at the kingdom once my father dies." Her face softened and she stood up. "You two have been so faithful and loyal to me. Not to mention you two are the only two I can call my true accomplices. I need you always by my side or I risk losing everything…you two included."

The acrobat gave her friend an encouraging smile. "We understand."

Warmth flickered in Mai's eyes and she allowed the smallest of smile to grace her lips. "We're not going anywhere. Leave tonight to us."

Golden brown eyes gazed with uncharacteristic tenderness over at her two closest friends. They weren't exactly friends, more like the most loyal childhood female allies she would ever find. She dismissed them and they stood up, bowing to her in unison and walking out, unknowingly to her, giving final fleeting glances before exiting.

--

Zuko sat outside his uncle's cell, leaning against the door with his eyes closed and his head hung low. He had felt terrible ever since the day he'd yelled at her. On one hand, he felt obliged to do what his uncle told him to, and on the other he didn't want to get too close to the girl for fear that Azula may do something worse to Iroh or to himself. He did not give two cents if Azula were to hurt Toph, but seeing as his uncle would never forgive him should he deny him his wish, he realised that he had to keep her alive at least…no matter how much it tormented him seeing her walking, alive and unhurt.

Tonight's dinner was going to be cold as usual. None of the government officials or the generals paid much heed to him but they did pay him some respect when they had to talk to him. Still, he couldn't help but feel bitterness and detestation towards them all.

"Uncle…I can't do it," he said quietly, feeling the weight of guilt crush over him.

"You must. You must protect her. Never forget, Zuko; you are much stronger than them. I have trained you and you have learned. You have learned many techniques but you have also learned to be humble. Their minds are twisted, yours is clear and you must not let their treachery affect you," Iroh said wisely and seriously.

Frustration coursed through the scarred prince. "I know! But…it's so hard. They don't need to speak for me to know that they're insulting me." He ran a hand through his loose hair and growled in annoyance.

'_And I'm not as clear and good as you think, Uncle…I despise that bitch.'_

Iroh stood up and looked through the tiny grilled window in the door and down at his nephew. "Zuko, you are like a son to me and I know you. I know that you can build enough strength within you to do what is right."

And all of a sudden, Zuko realised that his uncle wasn't just talking about the dinner tonight.

"You have to stop the suffering. You have to stop the oppression and the anger of all the other nations. I do not expect you to do it all by yourself but I know that you can if you have help. Please Zuko, they will need her when the time comes. It is time for you to prove yourself. Not now, but soon."

The prince stood and gazed through the bars at the kind old face staring back at him. "You can do it, my boy."

Amber eyes stared into old brown ones and the boy nodded. "I will watch her tonight."

'_Even if it means having to put up with her.'_

The reasons he had not been to see her lately were that he just could not be bothered to be around someone so uncouth and crude and someone who paid absolutely no respect to him. His hatred for her was one thing, but he also felt increasing frustration whenever he looked at her. All he wanted to do was wrap his hands around her neck and hurt her. He wanted to tell her that her friends were not coming. Because the likelihood of them reaching here alive, with the Southern Water Tribe or not, was slowly desisting.

Silently he revelled in the fact that he friends may even die before they set foot on Fire Nation territory. He wanted to see her face when he told her they had not made it. He wanted to see the pain in her eyes when their mangled bodies were thrown before her feet, when her hands ran over their broken forms, when she screamed in pain as she held them close to her chest, her body too stunned to shed tears.

As he walked away from the dungeons, a dark, sinister smile came to his lips as he imagined her weeping dry tears onto the floor, her whole being collapsed and devoid of any hope. He wanted to see it all.

'_I want to see you cry._'

Now all he had to do was go and face the girl. And when it came to the feisty Earth Bender that was never anything to look forward to.

--

Green eyes looked up automatically as a knock came at the door. The entire afternoon had been spent pacing around the room in anxiety and fiddling with the band around her neck that, no matter how she tried, wouldn't come undone.

She hesitated before calling out unevenly, though knowing full well who it was, "Wh-who is it?"

"It's us."

It was Mai and Ty Lee was with her. Green eyes frowned in frustration and panic and she quickly walked over and opened the door. The tall girl raised a thin brow.

"Well, nice to see that you're happy to see us," she droned out and Ty Lee smiled chirpily and gave a wave.

Toph mentally groaned and said out loud, "Well, it's nice to see that you'll be taking me to my death."

Mai snorted. "Relax, we'll be there the whole time."

"Yeah, and we'll make sure nothing bad happens," the acrobat added encouragingly. As they walked in, she suddenly clapped her hands enthusiastically and bounded over to the large wooden cupboard on the far side of the room. "Well, we'd better get started! I get to pick out your outfit!"

Two pairs of dark brows rose. "If it remotely resembles a dress, I am not wearing it."

Pale gold eyes rolled and Mai sighed. "Come on, you might as well take a bath first."

As the two girls left, the Earth Bender vaguely heard Ty Lee talking to herself, "Hm, maybe this skirt…or that one, that's pretty too! Oooh! I love those shoes…"

Green eyes rolled and Toph muttered bitterly to herself, "Now this is why I hate dinners."

Mai snorted and placed a hand onto the girl's shoulder, leading her down towards the bath rooms.

"Now you see why we rarely have parties. Ty Lee get's ecstatic."

Grimacing, Toph was reminded of the many parties she was forced to attend to when she was younger, due to her parents' positions and their wealth and faces in society. It was a disgusting process that involved much planning, tailoring, needles being stuck into places they shouldn't and heaps and heaps of material, each one in a different colour that she could not even see. It was pointless and a total waste of time and money. Being the nineteen-year-old girl she was now, she still did not like parties or bright, festive occasions.

"Parties are stupid," Toph pouted as they walked down a large flight of stairs.

"Oh _very_ mature," Mai commented, rolling her golden orbs, but she said it with a hint of good humour, a small, almost unnoticeable upward curve to the corners of her lips.

The pink-clad girl laughed and danced around the two darker girls on her hands and said chirpily, "But this is going to be so much fun! We _never_ get invited to dress up like tonight! Usually we just wear our usual outfits…which can be _so_ boring after a while…"

"So _you_ dress up! I don't see why I have to. I'm a prisoner aren't I?" the green-eyed girl protested, folding her arms.

The acrobat snorted. "And whoever said prisoners had to look like peasants? Besides, you've been dressed rather nicely so far and you haven't complained."

Toph shot her a pointed look. "You haven't put me in a dress so far. I don't _do_ dresses."

Shrugging, Ty Lee smiled and patted the girl on the head. "We'll figure something out."

And it was moments like these that wanted to bring a smile to Toph's face. A smile of happiness and regret all mixed into one. She knew, even though it was only on a very basic level, and her trust in them was still extremely low, that it was bad to get close to them. She didn't want to be friends, and she cursed herself at letting her guard down every single time.

'_Pull yourself together, Toph. You're stronger than this.'_

She clenched her fists and remained silent the rest of the way, biting her lip. The frown slowly faded into a bitter expression.

'_Then why is it so hard?'_

_

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A/N: Okay, done with this one too. Granted it's a little shorter than the others, but hey, what can I say? We need a little breather before we get into the action part right? Hm…I think the next few chapters will definitely be changed a LOT. But thanks to all my reviewers!! You guys are great! I'm sending you ALL a very yummy, very sticky virtual cookie :)

**KEEP REVIEWING! :D**

Peace out!  
Rex


	7. The Dinner

Lost In Delirium

Chapter 7: The Dinner

Her feet were bound and hurting, her hair was pulled back too tightly and the chain on her neck felt heavier than usual. The maids had had a blast when dressing her, making sure they inflicted as much pain on her as possible. Green eyes watered as the sting of perfume wafted around her. Toph had to hold her breath to keep the smell out.

Mai and Ty Lee stood in front of her before the door. Once all the guests had arrived, the guards would then open the door and they would have to walk out in front of everyone, Toph trailing behind to show her prisoner status.

The girl's breathing was heavy as they waited. She was supposed to sit near Azula so that the Princess could keep an eye on her. Mai and Ty Lee would be posted behind the girl, near the wall and the guards were going to keep an eye on any dangerous guests. For once, Toph was not afraid of those keeping her here, but of those who may wish to take her elsewhere and away from the ironic safety of Azula's fortress. She had nothing to protect herself with against a hundred or so Fire Benders and that thought wasn't very appealing.

"Hey Toph?" came Ty Lee's soft, sugary voice.

"Yes?" she said quietly, her throat dry and her teeth chattering.

The pink clad girl didn't answer for a moment and Toph was berating with herself whether the girl had heard her at all.

"We're right behind you."

Her heart seemed to contract within her chest and she felt the fondest gratitude towards the two girls in front of her even though she couldn't see their promising and determined glances back at her.

"Thanks," she managed, clenching her fists and clearing her throat. The murmur from beyond the doors seemed to cease and it was as if someone had sucked out all of the air in the room. The tension mounted and the girl's heart was beating so fast that she was sure it was going to jump right out of her chest. She almost wished it would too if it would stop her failing nerves.

The walls themselves seemed to hold their breaths as the large doors suddenly opened, flooding bright torch light into the small waiting room. There was a scraping of chairs as the guests stood up, each wanting to catch a glimpse of the Earth Bender as if she were some deranged beast caged up and put up for show.

The mutters and murmurs began and the whispers weren't really whispers. The girl closed her eyes tightly and lowered her head as she walked a walk that seemed to last for hours. The Earth Bender felt like a deer suddenly spotted by a raving pack of tiger wolves and her breathing seemed to escalate higher and higher and faster and faster.

'_I can do this, I can do this…'_ she chanted to herself in her mind, striving to still the ache to run away.

She stood behind her seat, Azula to her right and an empty seat next to her. The princess cleared her throat, a smug smile on her painted, red lips and said loud and clear,

"As you see, she is here. My father's house remains honoured."

There was a sound of applause and chatter as they all took their seats, the blind girl hesitating before seating herself down. As the noise began to die down, the girl became aware of certain heartbeats that she could feel, despite the binding of her feet. Those heartbeats put her off the edge and the sat rigidly and almost unmoving.

The sound of a door slamming open sounded and the girl jumped. Everyone at the table turned and dark whispers and low conversations began as their former prince in exile strode in. Toph didn't recognise him at first but as he came closer and stood next to her, she gasped, her mint eyes going wider under her bowed head.

He was here. Zuko was here in all his royal glory. He seemed different somehow, more sure of himself and more assertive. It felt strange and Toph knitted her brows together, trying to uncover what it was that had changed him over the past few weeks since she had seen him. He seemed…distant almost. More distant that usual anyway. And there was a strange aura about him, one that was not necessarily evil…but not exactly becoming either.

This time, nothing could stop the pang of fear that ran across her skin. And she did not know whether Zuko was going to be her protector…or her enemy.

--

Amber eyes gazed around the room at the disgusting display of wealth from the guests and with a slight sneer, Zuko said, "Forgive me for my tardiness, I was held back." Turning to his sister, he nodded, "Azula."

A small smirk grew on the princess' lips and she nodded. "Thank you dear brother for gracing us with your presence. You may sit."

As he did so, his whispered stoically to the girl, "Stay in my line of sight. There are certain people here who aren't as well mannered as others."

Giving a slight, barely noticeable nod, the girl clenched her fingers around the dress at her knees and took deep, steady breaths. She could feel people's eyes on her and trying to fidget as little as possible, she silently wished for the hours to zoom by as fast as possible. But the feeling of Zuko so near to her and so cold and placid made her feel even worse.

She could vaguely feel Mai and Ty Lee standing a few feet away, their forms stiff and ears alert. The taller, stoic girl whispered something to her friend but Toph couldn't catch it. Music began to play and a group of servants came through the doors, bringing trays of food and placing it on the guests' plates. The Earth Bender's mouth felt so dry that the food made her stomach feel queasy.

Resisting the urge to grimace, she thinned her lips and closed her eyes even though it didn't really make any difference. Her hands felt cold and clammy and even the large fire at the hearth was not helping.

Seeing the distress of the girl, Zuko leaned across, picking up his wine goblet and whispered mockingly,

"Are you alright, little girl?"

"No," she managed out, her tone biting and put out by the boy's attitude.

"Whatever is the matter, my dear little Earth Bender?"

She didn't know how to answer. For one thing, people were staring at her and the heartbeats she felt made her feel uncomfortable and she was aware of the dislike and the pleasure at seeing a friend of the Avatar, such an important person, reduced to a prisoner.

"I can feel them."

The boy seemed to understand for his eyes were guarded and sharp as he glanced around inconspicuously. There were many whose eyes had travelled to the Earth Bender and there were evil glints in them that even he didn't like. They were planning something. Or at least one of them was.

His hand went automatically to the hilt of one of his dao and brushed the ornate metal before exhaling slowly and whispering,

"I'm watching them. You might as well relax."

'_Not too much though…I'm still your number one enemy here,'_ he thought to himself darkly.

That made her smile, albeit a watery half one. "Good, at least one of us is."

His lips quirked slightly and he took a sip of the warm, mulled wine.

"I'm sorry I wasn't around earlier. I was…busy."

A small mirthless laugh escaped her. "And I thought you'd died."

"It would take a lot more than work to kill me." But his tone was light and there was a hint of a smile in it. The blind girl picked her feet up from the floor and crossed her legs, not wanting to feel anymore of the animosity from the people.

"I suppose…I'm supposed to thank you for being here tonight," she stated awkwardly and carefully, "Mai and Ty Lee would probably still be trying to drag me out of the room at this point."

He took another sip of his wine. "Don't mention it." Looking around quickly to make sure no one was watching, he quickly took the girl's goblet and wrapped her fingers around it. Looking at him with confusion, she sniffed the drink, inhaling its sweetness.

"Drink it; it'll help with the nerves."

Green eyes rolled and she snapped softly, "I'm nervous, not twitchy."

Shooting her a forlorn look, he said smoothly, "Same thing."

Ah there was the Toph he knew. A feisty, young sport who could still bicker to the nearest person even in the face of danger. He would have such a lovely time reducing her to a trembling fool.

He took in her outfit, a long, dark green robe with a thick sash tied into an empire waist, a paler green embroidery going all around the satin. There were threads of gold woven into her outfit and he could see her bound feet peeking out underneath the table where she had crossed her legs on the chair. She stood slightly bent over, a sign of protection. An infuriating glint was in her blind eyes, one that made his blood curl and his fingers dig into his palm painfully.

Suddenly, that rage returned full force and he almost expected himself to jump at her now and slice her throat open and save everyone else the trouble.

'_You can't blow your cover, idiot.'_

Zuko took another sip of his drink and set the goblet back down. How the hell could she still show bravery at a time like this? It annoyed him beyond belief when all he wanted to see was her being afraid like most people would be. It would obviously take a lot out of him to see her cower in fear. And what irritated him even more was that a small part of him was actually impressed at her display of courage, even though he wanted to smother every blasted bit of it.

--

Azula was just as alert as Toph was for as she ate her fruit, her dark gold eyes constantly spun around the room to all the guests. She couldn't have them remove their weapons in case of an angry uproar and despite the fact that she was the daughter of the Fire Lord, people were all too keen on seeing how high up they could get and how much closer they could pull themselves to Ozai.

Bitter resentment ran through her blood at the thought of any of these fools taking a stature higher than her. It couldn't happen. And it most definitely wouldn't if she had anything to say about it.

She eyed the Earth Bender and her brother as they shared silent and hidden words with each other. The look in her brother's eyes made her heart stop. There was such fierce determination in them and for a moment, it reminded her of when they were young and they would constantly fight for their father's attention. Zuko never gave up, even when it was useless.

The thing with her was probably that she tried hard all the time and it always came to her. Things came no matter what she did. Was it luck? If it was…then why did it feel as if luck was about to run out? She was tired, that's what it was. She was tired of fighting for the best because she already was the best. But there were always others who wanted to be better than her and though they never succeeded, she would always have to make sure that they never tried again.

And that took so much effort and so much strength. She was weary of battle. Though it had ended so long ago, there felt an intake of air as if the world was waiting for something more. Something was going to happen. She was the performer in the spotlight, and all eyes were on her. And she didn't know which act to perform during this long, tumultuous show.

What trick could she whip out? What sort of plan could she come up with when she didn't know what was going to happen? A sigh of fatigue left her and she closed her golden eyes, trying to wash away the dreariness that seemed to flood through her.

Upon opening her eyes, she caught the almost unnoticeably concerned gazes of her two best friends. Looking away quickly, she cleared her throat and placed another thick and juicy red berry into her mouth.

Worry and concern weren't for her at the moment. Her job for now was to keep an eye on the Earth Bender, make sure she was safe and watch out for any out-of-the-ordinary issues with these hungry beasts.

She began conversation with a man to her side the only male here who she truly did trust. He was a few years older than her and had been very faithful to her father as the castle eavesdropper when he was younger. He now led Azula's army at her side. Although they often argued and fought, the two remained constant acquaintances and "colleagues" in a way.

"Virid, Major Shang has had his eyes on my prisoner far too long for my liking. Will you keep an eye on him?" she said nonchalantly, sipping her wine.

A small, wolfish smirk overcame the young man's lips and dark eyes twinkled with mischief. "My, my, you talk Azula. And I was beginning to think that you were too afraid to speak."

Golden eyes narrowed dangerously. "Fear is a thing unknown to my family. Even Zuko will never admit to fear."

The dark haired boy chuckled and drank from his goblet. "If it's not fear, then perhaps you've come to think of the girl as a prize desperately worth keeping. You always were possessive."

"That isn't true," she protested, folding her arms. "I just don't like losing my things. It marks irresponsibility."

His tone turned mocking. "Does it really now? Heavens Azula, you've gone philosophical on me."

An amused smile threatened to case her lips but she managed to hold back. "You were always the one to find hidden meanings in my words weren't you?" But her eyes turned serious. "So you know what I mean when I say that I will not lose the most important asset I have at the moment."

"I do." He gave her a hard, determined look. "You have more people on your side than you realise. Anyone whom I trust, you should be able to as well."

A breath of relief escaped her as if that was the answer she was looking for. "Thank you Virid. Now please if it's not too much trouble, watch out for Senior Chief Wo Dan as well, he's been a little shifty lately."

Dark green eyes swivelled to where the old man was, and sure enough, he was eyeing the guests around him warily.

"I'll keep my eyes, _and_ my sword at the ready, my Princess."

Said Princess scowled. "Stop calling me that."

Olive eyes turned and stared, unmasked, into golden ones and Virid raised a thin, dark brow.

"And I thought you liked my pet names. It appears the little Princess has finally grown up." There was a trace of mocking and something else in his tone that made Azula grit her teeth in anger.

"Just do your job, Virid."

The smirk that accompanied her command made her want to burn his mouth off.

"As your wish, _my Princess_."

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A/N: Aight! Surely you guys remember the next three chapters pretty well right? Uh, well here's Virid again. (I love him so much…) And I guess that it's here that things really start to change. Thank you guys so much for all your support and your reviews! And please keep those reviews coming and if you have any ideas or wishes (or demands) please tell me :D Oh and by the way, I'm sorry this is out late, I've been busy .

Peace out!  
Rex


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